2026 local election data summary
Each year, Democracy Club’s amazing network of volunteers collects the details of thousands of local election candidates from nomination papers published on council websites. These candidates are manually added to our database (with a little help from our own automation) and double checked for accuracy.
The data below was collected from 2,969 Statements of Persons Nominated published by English councils on 9-10 April. All the data is free to download from our candidate database
Find out who’s on your ballot paper at WhoCanIVoteFor.co.uk.
The elections
5,066 English councillors are due to be elected on 7 May, across 2,969 wards and divisions. This includes 5,013 in scheduled elections and 53 additional vacancies. Of the vacancies, 20 seats will be filled in 18 standalone by-elections (two double-vacancies), and the remainder are additional seats in wards already scheduled for election. Six councils are also holding mayoral elections.
These council elections are taking place on the same day as the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections. There are also two council by-elections taking place in Wales (Newport and Powys).
The candidates
25,046 candidates have been nominated to stand in the English local elections. 140 parties are represented, alongside 794 independent candidates.
There are no uncontested wards, and only a single ward with two candidates: a Lib Dem/Reform UK face-off on the Isle of Wight. The longest ballot papers are in Tower Hamlets, where three wards (Whitechapel, Lansbury, Bow East) each have 22 candidates.
| Party name | Seats contested | % total seats | Wards contested | % total wards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party | 4,900 | 96.7% | 2,882 | 97.1% |
| Reform UK | 4,820 | 95.2% | 2,966 | 99.9% |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | 4,771 | 94.2% | 2,908 | 97.9% |
| Green Party | 4,505 | 88.9% | 2,853 | 96.1% |
| Liberal Democrats | 3,949 | 78.0% | 2,563 | 86.3% |
| Independent candidates | 794 | - | 596 | - |
| Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition | 286 | 5.6% | 272 | 9.2% |
| Workers Party of Britain | 69 | 1.4% | 58 | 2.0% |
| Newham Independents Party | 66 | 1.3% | 24 | 0.8% |
| Social Democratic Party | 48 | 0.9% | 44 | 1.5% |
| Aspire | 45 | 0.9% | 20 | 0.7% |
| Tower Hamlets Independents | 43 | 0.8% | 20 | 0.7% |
| Redbridge Independents | 42 | 0.8% | 15 | 0.5% |
| Havering Residents Association | 35 | 0.7% | 13 | 0.4% |
| Kingston Independent Residents Group | 34 | 0.7% | 15 | 0.5% |
| Your Bradford Independent group | 29 | 0.6% | 11 | 0.4% |
| Christian Peoples Alliance | 28 | 0.6% | 17 | 0.6% |
| Ealing Community Independents Party | 26 | 0.5% | 11 | 0.4% |
| Walsall Community Independents Party | 20 | 0.4% | 8 | 0.3% |
| Your Party | 20 | 0.4% | 17 | 0.6% |
| Heritage Party | 18 | 0.4% | 18 | 0.6% |
| Advance UK | 17 | 0.3% | 16 | 0.5% |
| Confelicity | 17 | 0.3% | 17 | 0.6% |
| Enfield Community Independents Party | 17 | 0.3% | 8 | 0.3% |
| Rejoin EU | 15 | 0.3% | 15 | 0.5% |
| Taking The Initiative Party | 15 | 0.3% | 6 | 0.2% |
| Hayes Independent Party | 14 | 0.3% | 6 | 0.2% |
| The Official Monster Raving Loony Party | 14 | 0.3% | 13 | 0.4% |
| Communist Party of Britain | 13 | 0.3% | 13 | 0.4% |
| Arise | 11 | 0.2% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Hornchurch Residents Association | 11 | 0.2% | 4 | 0.1% |
| Brentford, Isleworth, Heston & Hounslow Independents | 10 | 0.2% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Great Yarmouth First | 10 | 0.2% | 10 | 0.3% |
| Independent Network | 10 | 0.2% | 10 | 0.3% |
| Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell | 10 | 0.2% | 5 | 0.2% |
| English Democrats | 9 | 0.2% | 7 | 0.2% |
| Islington Community Independents | 9 | 0.2% | 6 | 0.2% |
| Redbridge Matters | 9 | 0.2% | 5 | 0.2% |
| UK Independence Party (UKIP) | 9 | 0.2% | 9 | 0.3% |
| National Housing Party United Kingdom | 8 | 0.2% | 7 | 0.2% |
| Our West Lancashire | 8 | 0.2% | 8 | 0.3% |
| The Oldham Group Party | 7 | 0.1% | 7 | 0.2% |
| Unity Independents | 7 | 0.1% | 4 | 0.1% |
| Basingstoke & Deane Independents | 6 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Camden People’s Alliance | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Community Alliance Kirklees | 6 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Farnham Residents | 6 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Hackney Independent Socialist Collective | 6 | 0.1% | 4 | 0.1% |
| Haringey Socialist Alliance | 6 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Association | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Independent Loughton Residents Association | 6 | 0.1% | 6 | 0.2% |
| Libertarian Party | 6 | 0.1% | 6 | 0.2% |
| Lydiate and Maghull Community Independents | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Upminster and Cranham Residents Association | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | 0.1% |
| British Democratic Party | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Bury Independents | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Community Campaign (Hart) | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Independent Oxford Alliance | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Residents for Uttlesford | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Rochford District Residents | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| The Black Country Party | 5 | 0.1% | 5 | 0.2% |
| Coventry Citizens Party | 4 | 0.1% | 4 | 0.1% |
| Leigh & Atherton Independents | 4 | 0.1% | 4 | 0.1% |
| Newton-le-Willows Independents | 4 | 0.1% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Southport Community Independents | 4 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Yorkshire Party | 4 | 0.1% | 4 | 0.1% |
| Animal Welfare Party | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Better Bromley | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Chislehurst Matters | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Communist League Election Campaign | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Farnworth and Kearsley First Party | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Morley Borough Independents | 3 | 0.1% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Party Of Women | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Radcliffe First | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Rainhill Independents | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | 0.0% |
| The People’s Independent Party | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| The Socialist Party of Great Britain | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Together for Bury | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Tunbridge Wells Alliance | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Wakefield Independents | 3 | 0.1% | 3 | 0.1% |
| Ashtead Independents | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Canvey Island Independent Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Failsworth Independent Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Formby Residents Action Group | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Hinchley Wood Residents | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Horwich & Blackrod First Independents | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Lincolnshire Independents Lincolnshire First | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Merton Park Ward Independent Residents | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Middleton Independents Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Newcastle Independents | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Nork & Tattenhams Residents’ Associations | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Peterborough First | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Residents for Guildford and Villages | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Runnymede Independent Residents’ Group | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Standish Independents | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| The All In Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| The Liberal Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| The Molesey Residents Association | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| The Peace Party - Non-violence, Justice, Environment | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| The Revolting Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| The Walton Society | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Vectis Party | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Waltham Forest Independent Socialists | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Wickford Independents | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.1% |
| Birmingham Community Independents | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Build | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Chesterfield And North Derbyshire Independents (CANDI) | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Climate Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Communities United Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Edgeley Community Association | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Equality Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Forward Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Freedom Alliance | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Garforth and Swillington Independents Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Imagine | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Independents for Tunbridge Wells | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Local Alliance | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| National Rebirth Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| North Tyneside Community Independents | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Northern Heart | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Patria | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| People’s Alliance for Change and Equality | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Pirate Party UK | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Redbridge Trade Union Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Rother Association of Independent Councillors | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Save Us Now | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| South Woodham Ferrers Residents Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Southwark Independent Socialists | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Thames Ditton / Weston Green Residents’ Association | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| The Christian Party Christian Peoples Alliance | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| The Moon And Serpent Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| The Motoring Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| The Potteries Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Wandle Independent Group | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Wessex Regionalists | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Westhoughton First Independents | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Weybridge Independents | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Whitehill & Bordon Community Party | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Workers Party - Oldham Group | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Working for Sidcup | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
| Yeshua | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0.0% |
Notes
Labour figures include 675 candidates standing as Labour and Co-Operative.
Due to a mistake with their nomination papers, a large number of Green Party candidates in Richmond-Upon-Thames will be listed with a blank description on the ballot paper. They will still be using the Green party emblem, however, and so we have included them in the Green total.
This blog will be updated if new errors or withdrawals come to light.